The resignation has sparked discussions about the age of consent laws and relationships between mentors and their charges in Iceland.
**Iceland's Children Minister Resigns Over Past Relationship with Underage Teenager**
**Iceland's Children Minister Resigns Over Past Relationship with Underage Teenager**
Former minister Ásthildur Lóa Thórsdóttir steps down after revealing details of her controversial relationship with a teenager.
Iceland's minister for children, Ásthildur Lóa Thórsdóttir, resigned on Thursday due to revelations about a relationship she had more than 30 years ago with a teenager. Thórsdóttir stated in an interview that she began seeing the boy when he was 15, while she was 22 years old and working as a counsellor at a religious organization he attended. She gave birth to their child when he was 16 and she 23.
Reflecting on the years that have passed, the 58-year-old stated, “It’s been 36 years, a lot of things change in that time and I would definitely have dealt with these issues differently today.” Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir acknowledged the gravity of the situation but opted to refrain from commenting extensively, labeling it a personal matter.
Frostadóttir only learned of the implications involving a government minister on the evening prior to Thórsdóttir's resignation. Following this revelation, Thórsdóttir was summoned to the Prime Minister's office where she stepped down from her position.
The story broke through Icelandic news agency RUV, which indicated that Thórsdóttir first encountered the boy—identified as Eirík Ásmundsson—through a religious group called Trú og líf (Religion and Life). Their relationship was kept secret, although he was present for the birth and involved during the child’s early year. However, it reportedly became complicated when Thórsdóttir began a relationship with her current husband.
Documents obtained by RUV show that Ásmundsson had sought access to his son through the justice ministry, but Thórsdóttir denied his requests, while simultaneously securing child support payments from him for 18 years. The unfolding situation gained momentum after a relative of Ásmundsson sought to bring the matter to the prime minister's attention, leading to the resignation.
Thórsdóttir expressed distress over how the information surfaced and the implications it carried, stating, “I understand... what it looks like.” In Iceland, while the age of consent is 15, there are legal restrictions against sexual activity with individuals under 18 in specific relationships of power, such as teacher-student dynamics, where offenders can face up to three years in prison.
Despite her resignation, Ásthildur Lóa Thórsdóttir has confirmed she intends to remain active in parliament.
Reflecting on the years that have passed, the 58-year-old stated, “It’s been 36 years, a lot of things change in that time and I would definitely have dealt with these issues differently today.” Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir acknowledged the gravity of the situation but opted to refrain from commenting extensively, labeling it a personal matter.
Frostadóttir only learned of the implications involving a government minister on the evening prior to Thórsdóttir's resignation. Following this revelation, Thórsdóttir was summoned to the Prime Minister's office where she stepped down from her position.
The story broke through Icelandic news agency RUV, which indicated that Thórsdóttir first encountered the boy—identified as Eirík Ásmundsson—through a religious group called Trú og líf (Religion and Life). Their relationship was kept secret, although he was present for the birth and involved during the child’s early year. However, it reportedly became complicated when Thórsdóttir began a relationship with her current husband.
Documents obtained by RUV show that Ásmundsson had sought access to his son through the justice ministry, but Thórsdóttir denied his requests, while simultaneously securing child support payments from him for 18 years. The unfolding situation gained momentum after a relative of Ásmundsson sought to bring the matter to the prime minister's attention, leading to the resignation.
Thórsdóttir expressed distress over how the information surfaced and the implications it carried, stating, “I understand... what it looks like.” In Iceland, while the age of consent is 15, there are legal restrictions against sexual activity with individuals under 18 in specific relationships of power, such as teacher-student dynamics, where offenders can face up to three years in prison.
Despite her resignation, Ásthildur Lóa Thórsdóttir has confirmed she intends to remain active in parliament.
